Layers: I figured that this tool gave one the ability to practice on areas of your project without messing up anything else, (which, of course, I learned the hard way). I used these on the Project 4Blackboard assignment, my Mom's two pictures for the family calendar and my Final Project.
Text example 1: The most effective use of text was in "fractured." It depicted an emotional time in my work life, and it turned out to be a dramatic expression. I used different fonts to express the weekly progression of how things seemed to occur in the time period of about a month. And of course, I used text in most projects, but it again became important in my Final Project when I used it to offset some text alignment in the overall design.
Text to Outlines: I did this in the first project without knowing what I was doing in portrayal of the Symphony. After adding, moving and arranging text throughout the Cleft Note, I learned later that there was an easier way to do it!
Text on a Path:By far, this was the hardest thing I had to learn. The instructions in my book were very vague, (at least to this brain). I had to do a step-by-step, over the phone lesson with a graphic artist friend. An hour later...along with some favorite lyrics, I was able to create the wordy spiral. I did really feel as if I accomplished something, though, and I think that this is a neat tool.
Paths: My first attempt was in tension, but I really didn't get it. I did see that it was easier to go from a large image to a small one, which helped me to discover my favorite tool, (See Tool of your choice 1). I had help on this one, too!
Simple drawing with a pen tool: My least favorite tool. I saw other people's cool stuff and would try, but the tool confused me. I only used it in my original avatar, on the hair and crooked smile, which was pretty much how I was feeling by then. I now know that I need to double-click to get it to do what I wanted, (just another little tidbit the author forgot to mention).
Group objects:I used this in my YOU Chain, which was kind of fun. I was frustrated until I applied the ruler, guidelines and grid, and it got a whole lot easier! Also, in Project 4 where I grouped the two pictures for the family calendar.
Color, applying, learning RGB and Web codes: Like everyone else, I used these tools and techniques throughout the course. My favorite was the actual application when I did the apple pictograph, and I also used it in tension to gradient the shades of gray. Very interesting, and the codes made it so much more efficient; no more guessing! I used it in the Wiki tool bar above, by going into the "T" world image and changing the text color of these topics for a little Xmas flavor!
Aligning: This was VERY important in the YOU chain. It just didn't look right until I used this tool, I also used it in Project 5, where we could pick tools. I used it to line up my images.
Using the ruler, guidelines, and grid: It would have been nice to have this in the beginning, some of my first projects may not have come out so "crooked." I When we got together at the beginnings of my Fireworks journey, you showed me some of this, but I'd forgotten. Once I unlocked the learning curve, I noticed how much I enjoy the order of things. It came in handy in my "YOU Chain,"...if I had used it in the "order clock" exercise, my letters would have lined up perfectly.
Scaling: I did this when I completed my Final Project, as I had to reduce it so it wasn't so "out there" on the page, as it was when I started out. It was also used on the YOU Chain, as I had to reduce that in order to rotate it.
Rotating: Handy, handy, handy...used in placing arrows, and as stated above in the YOU Chain. Also, in Project 4, where I used Blackboard to input arrows for the instructions.
Reflecting: Not available in Fireworks, but I understand it from others' projects. I tried it later, and realized that I could copy the image, and then flip it to cause reflection, but didn't put it into any work project. I added other tools of choice, instead.
Using the free Transform tool: When rotating didn't always work, the free form rotation did. I used this in Project 5 on the red roses in "a," and in my Final Project.
Exporting files (.jpg, .gif, .png): This is where I used export to add red roses, "a," to my images for the smudge tool. I was working on an outside computer to start, and saved these images both as png. and jpg. files, because at the beginnings of my ID experiences, some files wouldn't export correctly. My new computer doesn't seem to have this problem. It was useful when exporting the web page capture from Jing, to copy instructions for Project 4, and I used it to export the original "Wild Self" gif. files from the NY Zoo for my Final Project.
Tool of your choice 1: By far, I thought that the most useful tool for me was the % magnify tool in the bottom right hand corner. My eyes are sensitive to the computer, and cannot handle looking at small images for hours at a time. By using the magnify tool, (on all of my projects), I was able to rest my eyes and to be more exact in my work. I would then reduce the % back to normal.
Tool of your choice 2: The filter tool, specifically to adjust color, contrast and brightness, was pretty neat. I am also now curious to find out about all of the other filters! I had trouble with my Final Project, until I found out how to filter color on the original image. With this, I was able to make the text stand out and become much more readable.
Tool of your choice 3: Crop tool really cuts out all of the "unnecessary" and allows for just what you want in an image. I used it for the images I imported in the Project 4 calendar, and in Project 5 for the floral displays. It is also a lot of fun to play with, and will create a variety of moods, all from the same picture. Plus, it was the tool I was the most familiar with, having it available in MS Publisher and in camera software.
Tool of your choice 4: I like the layer tool. I see that it really cuts down on possible error. Pulling up the layers allows for one to focus on the area that needs work, without disrupting anything else on the page. As an artist, I find that when I want to "fix" something, I am very conscious of the other work on the page, and fear that I may really mess up something else. With layering, one can pull up the tool work, select the problem area, and not effect anything else on the page. Highly stress-reducing!
Tool of your choice 5: I think the most creative tool I used was the brush tool, under the Bitmap window. I used it extensively when first introducing myself to Fireworks, but it never seemed to go well into any of the required projects for 504. I used a large blob of it and softened the edges in fractured, and thought about grouping more dots together for the idea of people, but it looked like drops of blood, and I decided that was a bit over the top!
Tools you must learn
Projects you must complete
Examples of your work